Taking the elevator back to the conference room, I assessed the aches and pains from the sparring session and silently fumed at myself for not seeing it was all some male driven initiation or test to see if I could hack it in their team. I'd seen it before, so why I hadn't expected it was no ones fault but my own.
Catching sight of myself in the glass, I quickly pulled my damp hair up into a tight bun, hoping to keep an air of professionalism as I made my way to Rumlow in the conference room.
This time, the door was already standing open, Rumlow sat on the edge of the table waiting for me. He looked me over as I stepped inside, like a bird of prey watching a field mouse pass by. Only I wasn't a field mouse and wouldn't be treated like a second rate agent, not again, not here.
"You wanted to see me?" He nodded, still watching me, he seemed to be picking his words.
"You have some skill...actually a lot, you don't have a lot of strength but you make up for it in speed and technique. You might have what it takes to make it on my team. Honestly though, I expected you to put Rollins down quicker, earlier." His tone was almost bemused, like he wanted me to take Rollins down.
"I thought the whole thing was to show what I could do. But clearly not. I took him down in the end though."
"You didn't just take him down, you knocked him down a peg or two, maybe even humiliated him in his mind, he's certainly not gonna like you for it." He shook his head. "I need to know that you aren't going to be pushing his buttons, making things difficult. I ask for two things from my team; order and discipline. You follow my orders and we won't have a problem, but you push Rollins, he isn't going to hold back." I almost smiled, ready to tell him I wouldn't if it came to it.
"Oh I don't think Agent Williams has anything to be worried about, it looked to me like she was holding back." It was Pierce and he turned to address me. "I'm starting to see why Fury recruited you." I stood a little straighter as Pierce spoke.
"Thank you sir. But I'm not here to fight Rollins or any of my team, I'm here to do a job, I'm here to work on Strike Team and eliminate threats to the nation." Pierce nodded, a look passing between him and Rumlow; a look that bothered me, but I didn't know why.
A/N: Thanks M glad you found it, I had originally posted on Ao3, but I found there's more interest for it here. Happy you took the time to review, makes me happy to know people are enjoying it :)